I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix up
and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or town
home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the contractor
turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting it back on
and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas was turned off
at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were removed. (We took out
the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an electric dryer.) Turning the
gas back on at the meter and trying to light the water heater pilot doesn't
work. I haven't tried the furnace yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas
flow. We checked for other cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl space
and we have it turned on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the meter
dials when the pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's an
old heater (12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed to
be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater during
the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and replace
the heater in the crawl.

Start with the gas company. Here, they charge nothing to stop by and see if
there's anything wrong that's their fault, and sometimes, they'll even fix a
simple thing for free. Most plumbers have a trip charge just to walk in the
door, although many of them can also handle this sort of thing. Finally,
what about the company that maintains your furnace? They're qualified to do
this type of diagnosis, and since they install furnaces, they're obviously
able to do work on gas pipes.

I've never learned to solder pipes. I figure that if I make a mistake, I'll
have a swimming pool in my basement and the stuff that gets ruined will be
far more expensive than paying a plumber. Taking this a step further, the
idea of playing with a torch around gas pipes strikes me as something better
left to professionals.


"jch" wrote in message
.. .
I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix
up
and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or town
home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the
contractor
turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting it back on
and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas was turned off
at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were removed. (We took
out
the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an electric dryer.) Turning the
gas back on at the meter and trying to light the water heater pilot
doesn't
work. I haven't tried the furnace yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas
flow. We checked for other cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl
space
and we have it turned on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the
meter
dials when the pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's
an
old heater (12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed
to
be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater during
the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and
replace
the heater in the crawl.

It takes a while for gas to get through the pipe once it has been emptied.
Especially when you're just trying to draw enough to light the pilot. Hold
that red button down for a while and you'll get gas.

If you feel adventuresome, you can speed up the process by opening a valve
on an appliance which allows gas to flow in greater volume, such as a burner
on a gas range (stove). Don't get carried away, just turn one on until the
first hint of "the odor". It will help if the range is connected to the
pipe furthest from the meter (I'm not going to explain why).
Common sense is good here. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean gas
is always dangerous and deadly. Common sense.

"jch" wrote in message
.. .
I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix
up
and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or town
home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the
contractor
turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting it back on
and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas was turned off
at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were removed. (We took
out
the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an electric dryer.) Turning the
gas back on at the meter and trying to light the water heater pilot
doesn't
work. I haven't tried the furnace yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas
flow. We checked for other cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl
space
and we have it turned on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the
meter
dials when the pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's
an
old heater (12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed
to
be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater during

the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and
replace
the heater in the crawl.

jch wrote:

I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix up
and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or town
home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the contractor
turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting it back on
and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas was turned off
at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were removed. (We took out
the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an electric dryer.) Turning the
gas back on at the meter and trying to light the water heater pilot doesn't
work.

SNIP

When the piping was opened, air got in the pipes.
It will take a *long* time to bleed the air out from
the heater pilot.
Best to open a union near the heater and bleed off the air.
Ask the utility if they will do this for you if you are
not experienced.

Jim

Doug wrote:I've never learned to solder pipes. I figure that if I make a
mistake, I'll
have a swimming pool in my basement and the stuff that gets ruined will be
far more expensive than paying a plumber. Taking this a step further, the
idea of playing with a torch around gas pipes strikes me as something better
left to professionals.


Gas piping isn't soldered... Tom
Work at your leisure!

"Tom" wrote in message
...
Doug wrote:I've never learned to solder pipes. I figure that if I make a
mistake, I'll
have a swimming pool in my basement and the stuff that gets ruined will
be
far more expensive than paying a plumber. Taking this a step further, the
idea of playing with a torch around gas pipes strikes me as something
better
left to professionals.


Gas piping isn't soldered... Tom
Work at your leisure!

I stand corrected, but I still won't mess with it! A man's got to know his
limitations, as Dirty Harry once said. :-)

"Tom" wrote in message



Gas piping isn't soldered... Tom
Work at your leisure!

Right, it is welded. The gas lines at work are all welded and they did it
with gas right at the meter. In home applications iron pipe uses fittings,
tubing is usually done with compression fittings.

jch wrote:
I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix up
and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or town
home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the contractor
turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting it back on
and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas was turned off
at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were removed. (We took out
the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an electric dryer.) Turning the
gas back on at the meter and trying to light the water heater pilot doesn't
work. I haven't tried the furnace yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas
flow. We checked for other cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl space
and we have it turned on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the meter
dials when the pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's an
old heater (12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed to
be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater during
the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and replace
the heater in the crawl.


Hi,
Regulator may have popped shutting off the gas. Worth checking.
Tony

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news%39d.650862$gE.155499@pd7tw3no...
jch wrote:
I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix
up and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or
town home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the
contractor turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting
it back on and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas
was turned off at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were
removed. (We took out the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an
electric dryer.) Turning the gas back on at the meter and trying to
light the water heater pilot doesn't work. I haven't tried the furnace
yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas flow. We checked for other
cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl space and we have it turned
on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the meter dials when the
pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's an old heater
(12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed
to be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater
during the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and
replace the heater in the crawl.
Hi,
Regulator may have popped shutting off the gas. Worth checking.
Tony

I don't know too much about water heaters. How would I check that?

jch wrote:
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news%39d.650862$gE.155499@pd7tw3no...

jch wrote:

I just had a major remodeling done at an investment property (it's a fix
up and sell, single family detached home, not an apartment, cluster, or
town home - no one is currently living in it). During the project the
contractor turned off the gas and now there seems to be a problem getting
it back on and pilot lights lit for furnace and water heater. The gas
was turned off at the meter while some pipes in the crawl space were
removed. (We took out the old pipe to a gas dryer and wired for an
electric dryer.) Turning the gas back on at the meter and trying to
light the water heater pilot doesn't work. I haven't tried the furnace
yet. There doesn't appear to be any gas flow. We checked for other
cutoffs but there is only one in the crawl space and we have it turned
on. There is no smell of gas or movement in the meter dials when the
pilot light button is depressed on the water heater. It's an old heater
(12yrs) but was working prior to turning the gas off.
Suggestions?? Could the gas company have shut off the supply somewhere
else?? I'm still paying a minimal utility bill so the account is supposed
to be active. Could the valve have gotten clogged in the water heater
during the few weeks the gas was turned off?
Obviously I'm not the guy to check this out further unless its something
simple. Who is the best person to call for this? Gas company, plumber?
Thanks. If I end up replacing the water heater, does anyone have an idea
what the labor cost will be? It will be a major pain to remove and
replace the heater in the crawl.

Hi,
Regulator may have popped shutting off the gas. Worth checking.
Tony


I don't know too much about water heaters. How would I check that?


Hi,
Gas main line regulator is round metal like pie shaped thingy in the
main line coming into your house. It'll trigger a shut off when pressure
drops or rises suddenly. unscrew the knob like thing poking out
in the middle of pie, if the little plunger is popped, push it back in
to restore gas flow.
Tony

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:NiY8d.542$Ua.341@trndny03...
"Tom" wrote in message



Gas piping isn't soldered... Tom
Work at your leisure!

Right, it is welded. The gas lines at work are all welded and they did it
with gas right at the meter. In home applications iron pipe uses
fittings,
tubing is usually done with compression fittings.

Compression fittings are never used on gas. Maybe you were thinking flared
and wrote compression?

"George" wrote in message

Compression fittings are never used on gas. Maybe you were thinking flared
and wrote compression?

Right. Thanks. I don't weld gas line either. I watched it from a distance
when the guys from the gas company were doing it.